Pelican Gray (VR084E)
A warm, light gray with subtle beige warmth. Named for the coastal bird. Light and airy with just enough warmth to feel inviting rather than cold.
About Valspar Pelican Gray
Pelican Gray (VR084E) is a gray from Valspar's collection with an LRV of 56 and warm light gray undertones. A warm, light gray with subtle beige warmth. Named for the coastal bird. Light and airy with just enough warmth to feel inviting rather than cold.
At an LRV of 56, Pelican Gray is a medium-depth color with real presence on the wall. It will add noticeable color and warmth to a room, creating a more cocooning, intimate atmosphere than lighter colors. It works beautifully in rooms with good natural light, and can be used on accent walls in rooms where a full application might feel too enclosed. Pair it with a bright white trim color (LRV 85+) for clean contrast.
Light Reflectance Value (LRV)
Pelican Gray has an LRV of 56, placing it in the medium range on the 0-to-100 scale. LRV measures the percentage of visible light a color reflects. A pure black has an LRV of 0 and a pure white has an LRV of 100. Understanding a color's LRV helps you predict how it will feel in your space: higher LRV means brighter and more spacious, lower LRV means cozier and more intimate.
Undertone Analysis
Pelican Gray has warm light gray undertones. Undertones are the subtle background colors that become visible in different lighting conditions. Even colors that look "neutral" in the store will reveal their undertones once they are on your walls and interacting with natural light, artificial light, and the colors around them.
A warm, light gray with subtle beige warmth. Named for the coastal bird. Light and airy with just enough warmth to feel inviting rather than cold. Warm undertones like these pair naturally with other warm elements: honey-toned wood floors, brass and gold hardware, cream-colored textiles, and warm-toned furnishings. They can clash with strongly cool elements like icy blue accents or chrome fixtures, though the effect depends on the strength of the undertone.
Lighting Behavior
Warm and clean. Reads as a warm light gray in most rooms. The beige prevents it from feeling sterile.
Every paint color looks different depending on the light source in your room. South-facing rooms get warm, direct sunlight that brings out yellow and warm undertones. North-facing rooms get cool, indirect light that emphasizes blue and gray undertones. East-facing rooms are bright and warm in the morning, cooler in the afternoon. West-facing rooms are the opposite: cool morning, warm afternoon. Incandescent and warm LED bulbs push colors warmer, while cool-white LEDs and fluorescent tubes push colors cooler. To avoid surprises, always test Pelican Gray with a physical sample on your actual wall, and observe it at different times of day before committing.
Best Rooms for Pelican Gray
Valspar recommends Pelican Gray for: bathroom, bedroom, hallway, living room, office.
Closest Matches in Other Brands
Find the closest equivalent to Valspar Pelican Gray from other paint brands. Matches are calculated using Delta E (CIE2000), the industry standard for measuring perceptual color difference.
Benjamin Moore Matches
Barren Plain is cooler. Pelican Gray is warmer.
View all Benjamin Moore matches →Sherwin Williams Matches
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Sherwin Williams match for Valspar Pelican Gray is Argos (SW 7065) with a Delta E of 4.4, which rates as a "good match" match. Argos is similar in depth. A Delta E under 2 means most people cannot tell the colors apart, while 2 to 4 means the difference is subtle.
Pelican Gray has warm light gray undertones. A warm, light gray with subtle beige warmth. Named for the coastal bird. Light and airy with just enough warmth to feel inviting rather than cold. Undertones become most visible when the color is on a large surface like a wall, and they shift depending on the light source in your room. Always test with a physical sample in your specific space to see how the undertones interact with your lighting, flooring, and furnishings.
Pelican Gray (VR084E) has a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 56, which puts it in the medium range. LRV measures the percentage of light a color reflects on a scale from 0 (pure black) to 100 (pure white). At 56, this is a medium-depth color that adds warmth and character while still reflecting a reasonable amount of light.
Pelican Gray leans warm. The warm light gray undertones give it a cozy, inviting quality. It pairs naturally with other warm elements like wood tones, brass hardware, and cream textiles. In north-facing rooms, the warmth is especially welcoming.
Color data sourced from manufacturer specifications. Match calculations use Delta E (CIE2000) computed from Lab color space conversion. Last reviewed: March 22, 2026.